Resilience
by lgbtphilosopher
Summary: They all have one thing in common, their 7th year of Hogwarts was really fucked up, and they all want to finish their education properly. Little do they know how much change their 8th year will bring...


Resilience

Chapter 1:

Draco walked slowly along the crowded platform, cutting his way through the packs of kids and parents saying their teary goodbyes, while running his hand anxiously along the hem of his crisp black suit. As he made his way to the Slytherin car, his stomach turned, all the memories clashing with everything that was different about this year. Everything about the platform looked the same as it always used to, but this time was different, too different. He tried imagining his parents, walking alongside him, wishing him good luck for the upcoming year, like they had done so many times before. The whistle of the train snapped him back to reality. His parents weren't here. They were in Azkaban. This year is different. He wasn't supposed to be going back. He had already been there seven times. He looked up at the clock on the wall, and his stomach twisted into a knot when he saw it was 11:00, and he boarded the train to Hogwarts for the eighth time.

"I don't even know why I agreed to do this!" Ron nearly whined.

"Because you spent the last year in a tent looking for Horcruxes!" Hermione scolded, not realizing that his comment was rhetorical. We all missed our last-"

"I know that!" Ron interjected. "I mean why did I agree to put up with another year of studying and stress and teachers, all of which was in fact optional, if I had a different Mum." Ron argued as his cheeks turned a rosy pink.

"Your mother made the right choice, sending you back this year, you are lucky to have her!" Hermione added, to Ron's dismay. Ron let out an overly exaggerated sigh. Harry just giggled.

"Come on Ron, it'll be nice. You'll feel great once you've properly finished your education." Harry chimed in. Harry and Hermione kept going back and forth about all the benefits this year would have for them. Ron listened at first, but eventually tuned them out, wishing he had never spoke up about it in the first place.

"Firs' years! Firs' years this way!" Hagrid bellowed just as he did every year. Neville watched as all the fresh faced 11 year olds clambered down off the train onto the platform, and stared up at Hagrid in awe, just as he did 8 years ago, when Hagrid's massive frame had him in awe long enough to forget about his missing toad for a few minutes.

"8th years, come gather around me!" called a familiar voice. They all turned around to see Minerva McGonagall, as maternal and welcoming as always. A number of younger heads turned as well, with various confused expressions spreading across their faces.

"Welcome! Welcome back dears. I'm so glad to see all of you again." Said McGonagall as they all gathered around her.

"Glad to be back, Headmistress." Harry chimed in, with a warm smile that spread to the whole group.

"This year is an important year for all of you and this school. You will not be residing in your house dormitories this year. This year you will all be in one house to show all our younger students the importance of friendship during hard times. During the reconstruction of the castle, a new tower has been constructed for you all, and you will have new uniforms, which will have the Hogwarts crest on them, which showcases all four houses. "

Most of the group seemed pleasantly surprised by this information, except Draco, who put on a scowl that surprised no one.

"However you may sit at any of the house tables in the great hall, even if it is not your previous house's table." McGonagall added, which eased Draco's scowl to his usual resting frown as more smiles spread to the rest of the group. "Now, you may leave your trunks here on the platform, and if you will please follow me, we will head over to the castle." McGonagall said as she motioned for the group to follow her. She led them down a new path, heading away from where the rest of the school was boarding their carriages. The path was unlit, and got darker and darker as they headed away from the train station. After about a minute of walking, they saw a clearing in the trees up ahead, and a group of tall, horse-like shadows filling the empty space. As they approached the large figures, they recognized them as a group of hippogriffs, much to Draco's disappointment.

"Do you think Hagrid is going to be teaching Care of Magical Creatures again this year?" Harry whispered to Ron and Hermione.

"I hope so, and at least with Draco's parents in Azkaban, he can't go whining to his father and have a hippogriff sentence to death." Ron replied, bringing back the memories from their third year.

"Alright everyone, I trust you remember how to approach a hippogriff", she said, looking around and focusing her eyes on Draco for a moment. "Two people per hippogriff. Harry, you are to ride with Draco, to prevent any kind of incident." McGonagall added, glancing apologetically at Harry.

Harry groaned quietly, as to not irritate McGonagall, and glanced at Hermione, who gave him a look that said "Oh grow up!", and then Ron, who's face read "Sorry, dude."

Harry walked over to Draco, who was being careful not to get to close to the hippogriff.

"You do it. You bow down to this thing." Draco said quietly to Harry, being careful to not let the hippogriff hear him. At least he had learned not to be disrespectful right to the hippogriff's face, Harry thought. Harry went to face the hippogriff, bowed down slowly and held himself there until he saw the hippogriff return the gesture. Harry then approached the hippogriff and gently patted it's beak, and it nipped affectionately at his finger. He then got up onto the hippogriff's back, and motioned for Draco to do the same. Draco, however, was frozen in his place, staring up at Harry. Harry sighed and extended his hand down to Draco, who hesitated before grabbing it, and clumsily pulled himself up.

Harry looked around, watching everyone else getting on their hippogriffs. Neville approached his hippogriff with his newfound confidence, bowed elegantly, and reached out his hand to Luna, helping her onto the hippogriff. Harry noticed how nicely he had shaped up since he last saw him. He must have been working out over the summer, Harry thought. Luna, who was sitting behind Neville on the hippogriff, reached her arms around him and rested her head on his shoulder. Harry couldn't help but wonder if they were a couple now. He remembered during the battle, Neville had said that he fancied her.

Once everyone was on their hippogriffs, McGonagall reached for a whistle around her neck. At the sound of the whistle, all the hippogriffs took off running down the clearing. Startled by the sudden motion, Malfoy suddenly reached his arms around Harry and held on tight, as if he felt he would fall off at any second. The pack of hippogriffs sped toward the end of the clearing and took flight just before they reached the trees on the far end. As the hippogriffs got to a steady altitude, Draco loosened his grip on Harry and raised his head to look around at the lake passing under them.

As they approached the castle, the hippogriffs all went into a dive. Draco once again suddenly tightened his grip around Harry. Harry wondered why Draco was so frightened flying on a hippogriff when he was such a natural when it came to flying on brooms. Once the hippogriffs landed in front of the castle and came to a stop, Draco immediately jumped off and backed away from the hippogriff.

Draco kept his head down, trying to avoid making eye contact with Harry. He couldn't let Harry know that he didn't hate having to ride with Harry, and he kept trying to stifle the feeling in his lower abdomen that had nothing at all to do with flying sickness.

McGonagall was waiting for them on the front steps of the castle, she had apparated once the hippogriffs had taken off.

"Now if you will all follow me please." McGonagall said and motioned for them to follow her.

"You ready?" Harry said, looking over at Ron and Hermione, who both shrugged, unsure of what this new year would bring. They joined the group walking up the steps into the warm light of the castle.


End file.
